Probe into graft under Soeharto govt starts

Probe into graft under Soeharto govt starts

JAKARTA (JP): The government has launched an investigation
into corruption under former president Soeharto but has no plans
to specifically target the former Indonesian leader, Attorney
General Soedjono C. Atmonegoro told a packed news conference here
yesterday.

Soedjono said that although the probe did not specifically
target the Soeharto family, the investigation would cover its
business dealings.

"The former president may be summoned, if necessary, to verify
and check evidence in cooperation with other state agencies,"
Deputy Attorney General Ismudjoko added.

Ismudjoko said his office would not impose a travel ban on
Soeharto or any of his family members, pointing out that his
office had received guarantees they would not leave Indonesia.

Ismudjoko said that while the investigation was very urgent,
it would take some time to complete as the work would involve the
checking of many documents related to a large number of business
deals.

"What is most important is that we should always maintain
national unity," Ismudjoko added.

"The investigations are being conducted under the principle of
the presumption of innocence," Soedjono asserted.

Critics and analysts have alleged that nepotism, corruption
and crony capitalism lie at the root of the economic crisis the
nation has faced for 10 months and have demanded that the
businesses of the Soeharto family, cronies and other senior
officials be investigated.

Soeharto, who abruptly resigned from the presidency on May 21
under strong pressure from the House of Representatives, his
cabinet ministers and demonstrating students, has been accused of
amassing tens of billions of dollars from corruption, collusion
and numerous shady business deals.

Leading opposition figure Amien Rais called on Soeharto over
the weekend to donate 95 percent of his wealth to the state in
return for complete forgiveness from the people so that the
government should not have to beg for aid from international
agencies and institutions.

The secretary-general of the National Commission on Human
Rights, Baharuddin Lopa, said yesterday that Soeharto must be
prosecuted if there is adequate evidence to prove his wrongdoing.

Any corruption case should be handled in accordance with the
law, no matter who is involved in the malfeasance, Lopa said.

"If he or she is proven guilty, all of the wealth obtained
through corruption must be confiscated for the state," he added.

Lopa said the "solution" offered by Amien was not educative,
was against the law and could create the feeling of legal
uncertainty.

President B.J. Habibie could give Soeharto amnesty, but this
could only be granted after Soeharto's accountability is
completed, according to Lopa.

Lopa is also a member of Gempita, the Movement of Concerned
Citizens on State Assets, which was established last week to
collect data on ill-gotten wealth and assets.

Rp 200 trillion

The Indonesian Business Data Center (PDBI) announced yesterday
it estimated the wealth of former president Soeharto, his family
and its close associates at Rp 200 trillion (US$17.5 billion).

Executive director Christianto Wibisono told reporters
yesterday the amount included the assets of Soeharto's
foundations under the Nusamba group, a diversified group managed
by Soeharto's closest crony Mohamad "Bob" Hasan.

"What I mean by cronies here are those who are clearly close
to him such as Salim (Salim Group's founder and chairman Lim Sioe
Liong) and Bob Hasan," Christianto said.

PDBI's study values several major businesses, in which
Soeharto's six children and foundations are involved, at Rp 16.9
trillion, with equity totaling Rp 5.32 trillion.

These include daughter Siti Hardijanti Rukmana's toll road
projects worth Rp 1.39 trillion, son Sigit Hardjojudanto's
chemical businesses worth Rp 628.71 billion, son Bambang
Trihatmodjo's diversified Bimantara Group worth Rp 2.72 trillion,
and son Hutomo (Tommy) Mandala Putra's transportation and
automotive businesses worth Rp 3.7 trillion.

According to PDBI, the family's major foreign investment
ventures (with foreign partners) total at least US$15.23 billion,
including $3.16 billion in equity.

This includes US$1.89 million worth of Hardijanti's highway,
energy, hotel and pulp projects, $6 billion worth of Bimantara's
satellite and chemical projects and $1.16 billion worth of power
projects owned by daughter Siti Hediati Harijadi.

Christianto said most of the wealth had been accumulated
through business deals full of collusion, corruption and nepotism
such as monopolies, rent-seeking practices and oligopolies.

Companies and foundations controlled by Soeharto's empire had
also been given special privileges to win tenders or to get jobs
from state firms, including oil company Pertamina and energy
company PLN, he said.

Christianto said, however, crony business practices and
special privileges had not been the monopoly of the Soeharto
family and cronies.

He said many senior officials such as ministers, governors,
regents and mayors also had amassed wealth through corruption,
collusion and nepotism during Soeharto's 32 years in
power. (das/byg/sim)